SOMALIA: President Mohamud fires senior military commanders

Mogadishu (RBC) Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has fired the two senior military commanders replacing their positions with new officers amid major security changes in the capital ahead of the holy Ramadan month, RBC Radio reports.

In a decree issued by the President this week, which the local media obtained a copy of it has mentioned that President Mohamud has directed the changes of the military commanders in a move to improve the country’s security.

General Aden Elmi Indha-qarshe, the Chief of the National Army and General Abdirisaq Khalif who was the deputy army chief were both sacked from their positions. According to the decree, General Abdullahi Anod, the former commander of presidential guard unit has been appointed as the new Army Chief while General Abdullahi Osman Agey was appointed as the new Deputy Chief of Army.

Both Indha-qarshe and Khalif Elmi were appointed at a transfer ceremony in Mogadishu on March last year. Both of them are preparing to transfer offices in the coming weeks, sources said.

Following the terrorist attack on the Parliament, President Mohamud has promised a major security change in the capital, and in the nation as whole. His promise followed immediately the resignation of the former Minister of Security Abdikarim Hussein Guled.

The replacement of the two officers can be described as the second move toward the president’s promise on the security.